


The Way Back

by orphan_account



Category: Medical Investigation (TV)
Genre: Angst, Episode Tag, Established Relationship, F/F, Mission La Roca, Post Series, Yuletide 2010
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-23
Updated: 2010-12-23
Packaged: 2017-10-14 00:36:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/143379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The flight home after Mission La Roca. Eva is in need of some comfort.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Way Back

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ctorres](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ctorres/gifts).



> Yuletide treat for ctorres! Because she has great taste in TV. :) Merry Christmas! Thanks to CD for the beta.

Dropping exhausted into her seat, Natalie was grateful that in an uncharacteristic move, Stephen had thrown his weight around and secured them the jet home from Central America. What was supposed to have been a simple outbreak in the south had ended up almost costing them their lives.

Natalie watched as Stephen draped a blanket over a sleeping Miles before taking his own seat. He was still very sick and that combined with the painkillers had meant he’d stumbled to a seat and fallen asleep in seconds. It scared Natalie how close they’d come to losing their youngest team member. Miles had recounted bits of the story as he’d recovered in hospital – from being held at gunpoint by Nestor and Juan, to the church caving in under the aftershock, to contracting bacterial meningitis before being rescued. It was a miracle he’d survived.

Leaning back as the jet took off; Natalie watched the rest of the team to remind herself that they were still here, alive and well. Or alive, at least. Natalie’s gaze landed on Eva, who was curled up in a seat on the other side of the jet but far from sleeping. Her eyes were haunted as she stared out of the window and Natalie’s heart went out to her.

Eva had been truly shaken by her experience in Central America. There was very little that rattled the press reporter; Natalie had always been impressed by her strength. It wasn’t that she was without heart, despite what some of those who had crossed Eva’s path might say, Eva felt deeply for those who came under the NIH’s care. Natalie had seen that first hand, they supported each other when the cases at work got too much.

But this was different. A night curled up together on the sofa wasn’t going to make Eva bounce back this time. Her time with Berto had dug up all of Eva’s old memories and insecurities. It had worried Natalie to hear Eva talk about bringing Berto back to Washington, to give him a home. Eva had been so desperate to give this one little boy the love that she herself had never gotten but Natalie had been so afraid it would end badly.

When Berto’s cousin had shown up, Eva had been crushed. Natalie had tried to help her through it, but with so many sick and dead they had been forced back to work. To do her best for the patients left, Natalie had had to push the thoughts of Eva’s suffering to one side and focus on the job at hand. It looked like Eva had done the same, throwing herself into the work until they had been cleared to go home and the full weight of the memories had come crashing down.

They were safely airborne and so Natalie found her last dregs of energy and headed across the plane, to take a seat by Eva. Frank opened his eyes at her movement and nodded when he saw her intention. Looked like she wasn’t the only one worried about Eva.

Eva didn’t move until Natalie sat down and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned and looked at Natalie, grief written all over her face. There was so much pain – one small touch and Eva’s resolve disintegrated. She collapsed against Natalie and started to shake. Natalie’s own heart ached as she held Eva and whispered comforting reassurances to her. She felt so helpless, with no way of stopping Eva’s pain except to hold her as she quietly cried, her hands wrapped tightly in Natalie’s shirt as if she was afraid of letting go.

Natalie held her until the shaking subsided, moving one of her hands to gently stroke Eva’s hair. They’d only been dating a few months, since Eva had sat Natalie down in a hospital canteen and told her that life was too short not to admit how she felt, but Natalie couldn’t imagine being with anyone else.

Finally, Eva’s head came up, and Natalie cupped Eva’s tear-streaked face. “Hey.”

Eva gave a small smile back but it didn’t reach her eyes. Natalie just gave her a quick squeeze. Eva didn’t talk much about her childhood – Natalie didn’t think Eva’s foster parents had been bad people; it was just that being bounced between foster homes never to be adopted, to have a family, had to leave some marks on the psyche. Eva had wanted to protect Berto from that, just like she would with any child.

“I would have been so good to him, Nat.” Eva whispered quietly.

“I know.” In truth, while Natalie knew that Eva would have loved Berto, she was relieved that Augustine had arrived. If Eva wanted to adopt then it had to be a decision made more rationally than she had in Central America. But one day, if Eva wanted to adopt a child and give them the home and love that their own family couldn’t, or wouldn’t, then Natalie would be happy to do it with her.

“He was so alone. You can’t even imagine…” She sounded so lost, in a way that Natalie had never seen before. Berto had stirred up all her old feelings of loneliness. At least Natalie could remind her that she wasn’t alone anymore.

Pressing a kiss to Eva’s temple, Natalie reassured her. “Berto is back with his family. And you’re back with yours.” She gave another gentle squeeze for emphasis, smiling when Eva hugged her back, shifting in Natalie’s grip slightly.

“My family.” Eva said carefully, as if trying out the words for the first time.

“Forever.” Natalie replied. She looked around at the other three members of the team. Only Stephen was still awake, Jack’s letter on his lap again, and he smiled as he saw her. Frank and Miles were both sleeping soundly and Natalie smiled. “And once they finally get a chance to shower you might even be happy to spend time with them again.” She dreaded to think what she smelt like; it had been days since any of them had done more than wipe down with a damp towel, all the men now sporting different levels of scruffy stubble.

Eva gave a real smile at that before settling against Natalie’s shoulder and closing her eyes. “Thanks Nat.” She whispered before dropping off.

Natalie wasn’t naïve enough to think Eva was over this, but she could keep showing her that she wasn’t alone. It was a start at least. Leaning back, Natalie followed the rest of the team into sleep.


End file.
